Latest Mets-Kris Bryant trade rumor could put Dodgers in driver’s seat

Could the Dodgers make a trade for Kris Bryant soon?

When the New York Mets landed Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Indians a few days ago, many were left wondering what the other potential suitors in the race were doing. The New York Yankees were chief among them, but how could we forget about the Los Angeles Dodgers?

LA’s current infield situation is largely static, so fans didn’t exactly expect a deal to go down, though rumors did suggest they were in on the talks but didn’t want to budge on their prospects … and that we could expect the Dodgers’ splash to come relatively soon.

How soon are we talking? Because the Mets landing Lindor perhaps took them out of the Kris Bryant trade talks, which, according to a team insider, were broken off “weeks ago.”

If there’s one glaring vacancy on the Dodgers’ roster at the moment, it’s at third base, with Justin Turner’s situation still being unresolved. And if he truly wants a four-year deal, which the most recent report suggested, acquiring Bryant on the cheaper side in a trade and taking on his ~$19 million salary for 2021 feels like much less of a risk.

Bryant, a client of Scott Boras, more than likely wouldn’t be willing to sign an extension, which would further drive down the cost in a trade. For the Mets, they just added $45 million to their payroll with the acquisitions of Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, so it makes sense they aren’t at the forefront of the Bryant discussions at the moment.

We’re not sure where the Dodgers are, or if they’re even considering it, but it’s starting to feel like to the time to strike is in the very imminent future.

Bryant has long been linked to the Dodgers, but the presence of Turner likely kept that from becoming a reality. Now, they’re free of Turner from the moment and could keep their infield situation largely intact simply by trading for the Cubs star. Corey Seager can remain at short. They can see what they have in Gavin Lux at second base. And Max Muncy will remain at first base.

While the Nationals remain a destination for Bryant, the possible elimination of the Mets from these sweepstakes tips the scales in the Dodgers’ favor, especially with all of the heavy lifting Washington has already done.

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